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Job Centre plus

My DH has passed his SIA course and jot the £245 for the badge from our local JCP. There is the praise.

The vent is he has have just been into the x branch and showed a photocopy of the cheque he enclosed plus the proof of postage. He was informed that this might not be enough proof, even though he was advised last week that this would be sufficient. The employee questioned as to why me (his wife) had written the cheque, to which he explained that he does not have a cheque book. He was then asked why he did not obtain a cheque from the bank. He explained that he was unwilling to pay the £10 for a banker’s cheque. Therefore he withdrew the cash which he had deposited on the day I cashed the giro from the Jobcentre, and gave the amount of £245 to me who then wrote a cheque for that amount, payable to the Security Industry Authority. He considers this to be a perfectly acceptable transaction.

However, the employee insisted that the proof he supplied was not sufficient. She then said that his Jobseekers Allowance was running out this week, and implied that he had taken the money and not applied for my SIA badge. :mad:

I have written a strongly worded letter to the Manager and asked for a written apology from the employee concerned.

How dare they accuse DH of being a thief! :mad:

Susie


Susie
"A woman is like a tea bag:
you never know how strong she is
until she gets in hot water."

Comments

  • They are like that. They wouldn't help me with my SIA badge or help me find a course back when I needed it; I found my own course, secured funding and managed to beg and borrow the £190 it was back in the day...
  • nexuss
    nexuss Posts: 989 Forumite
    The security industry authority supplies receipts for payment if you ask them so the JCP can refund you.Much easier to do than the strange process you did.
  • nexuss - the JCP paid in the first place so there is nothing to reimburse.
    Susie
    "A woman is like a tea bag:
    you never know how strong she is
    until she gets in hot water."
  • jobsearcher48
    jobsearcher48 Posts: 52 Forumite
    edited 10 June 2009 am30 7:55AM
    Did you see the documentary/tv programme about the jobcentre?It is claimed the organization is "not fit for purpose",which I agree with totally.

    I was on jsa contributions only ( I get no benefit) but,boy did I have to be assertive to get my course paid for.I found 80% off the staff treated me like dirt,20% were charming. I claimed via the Adviser discretionary fund (the course and licence cost about £500.Btw-the most useless course I have ever been on!But that's another story).
    The training provider did all the paperwork-no money passed through my hands.I also claimed my travelling expenses and my hepatitus b booster.
  • Yeah agree about the jobcentre not being fit for purpose. Try going in there as someone who is desperate for work but unable to recieve benefits - they couldn't care less.

    At one company I did admin work for probably the hardest task was sorting out people that had promises from the jobcentre about payment. Most of the time they couldn't work out why jobseekers were unable to hand over a months worth of JSA to us, do the course and get a reciept. Think in the end they just told the jobcentre to sod off, they caused more hassle than the money earnt from them.
  • nexuss
    nexuss Posts: 989 Forumite
    nexuss - the JCP paid in the first place so there is nothing to reimburse.

    Usually they tell you to pay it yourself then show them a receipt so they will reimburse.You could have got a receipt from the company that issued the SIA licence to say you have paid the £245 to them so you can then show the JCP proof of what you used their money for.
  • Legally, what you have supplied proves nothing. A photocopy of a cheque simply proves a cheque was written - it could easily have been destroyed afterwards. A proof of postage simply proves you sent an envelope to the company concerned, not its contents.

    The Jobcentre will need a receipt. If you refuse to provide one, you'll be asked to return the money. There are procedure that must be adhered to, and audit trails which must be satisfied.

    The only thing that proves you used the money for what it was intended is a receipt from the provider.
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